What makes life worth living?

“Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.”- Carl Bard.

No one wants to live a worthless life, even though they are doing the wrong things. There’s this assertion made by Socrates; “the unexamined life is not worth living”. Your thoughts and attitude towards things should be examined (by yourself), as it helps to make life worth living. Stop the things that will hold you back from making new beginnings. Seize the day and do the right things, this won’t just be to your advantage, but will affect those around you, positively.

What really makes life worth living? Here are some guidelines that will help in examining yourself.

Be yourself, stop lying to yourself.

Yes, we’ve been told this a lot of times, and it is actually very important. We have all lied to people at some points in our lives, most times it has helped. But don’t ever lie to yourself, it’s the nicest thing you can do for yourself.

Happiness is priceless, don’t try to buy it. Stop looking for it in others, either.

Happiness means different things to different people, what makes me happy might not mean anything to you. A lot of us believe there can’t be happiness when there is money, this will be your driving force if you don’t neglect such thought, and by the time you get the money, you realize the basic things you have lost in the quest for riches. Don’t get me wrong, being rich is a very good thing, but it doesn’t guarantee happiness. Don’t look for happiness in other people, you have to find happiness in yourself first, only then can you share that happiness with other people. You have to be content with what you are and what you have.

Don’t let the fear of making a mistake stop you from trying new things.

Doing something new and making a thousand and one mistakes is much better than doing nothing and making no mistakes. We all make mistakes- that’s how we’re made.

Worrying never solves a problem, so stop worrying so much.

Worrying does more harm than good, so please stop worrying so much about that problem. It’s okay and normal to be bothered about a problem, but do not let it take hold of you. Stop worrying about things that won’t affect you at all in 2-4-5 years sown the line, measure first and then worry because there are a thousand things to worry about in life.

Stop holding grudges, it’s a waste of time and effort.

We meet people that really want to bring out the ‘beast’ in us, even our friends really do upset us. Be the bigger person, forgive. Don’t let the things of the past ruin the present.

Jealousy- a “NO-NO”

Don’t be jealous of other people, it takes you nowhere. Think of things that make you happy, because being jealous of other people will only make you sad.

Don’t blame others for your mistakes/problems.

Take responsibility for your own actions. No one has the power to take over your life, only you do. Someone might have advised you to do something, and it turned out badly. This doesn’t mean it is the person that advised you that caused it, you have your own mind, and you wouldn’t do it if you really don’t want to.

Stop doing the same thing, again and again.

You won’t learn new things if you spend your time doing the same things over and over. Venture in new things, learn more, and don’t stay limited.

Stop holding on to the past, it’s over and gone.

You can’t bring back the past and do what you were supposed to do, the past is over. We’re in the present, take hold of it and do the right things.

Stop giving up on opportunities just because you think you are not ‘ready’.

I really wonder what ‘ready’ means in this context. If you think you’re not ready for a particular thing, you can never be ready. Success beings with a step, you have to seize any opportunity to make a difference, it might not reoccur.

Finally, don’t be a pessimist, don’t be ungrateful. You’re at a point for a reason. Be thankful to God always, even for the gift of life. I hope you’ve learnt something new and will do the right things. On a final note, eat healthy and stay fit!

Hi, I’m Tinuke

A Nigerian Postgraduate student at the University of Ibadan. I'm an aspiring Fashion Designer and a Saxophonist sharing what inspires me in career, life, faith and health, all in a bid to inspire people to live a purposeful life and have a healthy fun in the process.

Follow Blog via Email

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.